Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesronto Imp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Tesronto Imp’, characterized by its tall, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit; large and numerous red, orange and yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESRONTO IMP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, grown typically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tesronto Imp’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted garden Alstroemeria plants that flower continuously and with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesronto’, not patented. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Tesronto’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since September, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tesronto Imp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tesronto Imp’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Tall, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Large and numerous red, orange and yellow-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Tesronto’. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of ‘Tesronto’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are larger and more vigorous         than plants of ‘Tesronto’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than         plants of ‘Tesronto’.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesluco’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Tesluco’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are shorter than plants of         ‘Tesluco’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have smaller leaves than         plants of ‘Tesluco’.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have smaller flowers than         plants of ‘Tesluco’.     -   4. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Tesluco’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Tesluco’ have orange and yellow-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tesronto Imp’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the autumn in 25-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 22° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 17° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesronto Imp’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Alstroemeria     hybrida ‘Tesronto’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven             weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight             weeks at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.         -   Rhizome length.—About 3 cm.         -   Rhizome diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Rhizome texture.—Smooth.         -   Rhizome color.—Close to 195B. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; tall, upright             and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit, inverted             triangle; freely branching habit with about 25 primary             lateral branches developing per plant; sturdy and strong             plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 76 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 72 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Length.—About 48.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 200C finely dotted with close to 144A to             144C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single             whorl; simple.         -   Length.—About 8.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic; twisting.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A;             surface facing upwards, strongly tinged with close to 199A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143A; surface             facing upwards, strongly tinged with close to 200C to 200D.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;             venation, close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147A; surface facing downwards, close to             N137A; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to             7 mm. Color: Close to 148A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged             in compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly to             slightly upright; perianth segments separate; freely             flowering habit with about 13 flowers developing per             inflorescence and about 325 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after planting; flowering continuous from summer into             the autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 185A.         -   Umbel height.—About 11.5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 16.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 5 cm.         -   Flower length (vertical).—About 6.3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5.7 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.5 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2 cm. Length, median segment: About             5.1 cm. Width, median segment: About 1.8 cm. Size, outer             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.6 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2.9 cm. Length, median segment:             About 5.4 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.8 cm. Shape,             inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Oblanceolate.             Shape, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate.             Apex, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Abruptly             acute. Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median segments:             Emarginate. Base, inner perianth, lateral and median             segments: Narrowly cuneate. Base, outer perianth, lateral             and median segments: Long cuneate. Margin, inner perianth,             lateral and median segments: Entire. Margin, outer perianth,             lateral and median segments: Towards the apex, finely             serrate; towards the base, entire. Texture, inner and outer             perianths, lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety. Color, inner perianth: When opening,             lateral segments, upper surface: Close to 3B; towards the             apex, close to 46A; spots, close to 203A to 203B. When             opening, median segment, upper surface: Close to 3C; towards             the apex, close to 46A; spots, close to 203A. When opening,             lateral segments, lower surface: Close to 3B; towards the             apex, close to 53B to 53C; spots, close to N200B. When             opening, median segment, lower surface: Close to 4C; towards             the apex, close to 53B to 53C; spots, close to N200B. Fully             opened, lateral segments, upper surface: Close to 7A;             towards the apex, close to 46A; spots, close to 203A to             203B. With development, color becoming closer to 13C;             towards the apex, close to 46A; towards the base, close to             47C; spots, close to 200D. Fully opened, median segment,             upper surface: Close to 6C; towards the apex, close to 46A             to 46B; spots, close to 203A. With development, color             becoming closer to 13C; towards the apex, close to 46A;             towards the base, close to 47C; spots, close to 200D. Fully             opened, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to 6A;             towards the apex, close to 42B; base tinged with close to             42C; spots, close to 203A to 203B. Fully opened, median             segment, lower surface: Close to 8B; towards the apex, close             to between 42B and 43A; base tinged with close to 41D;             spots, close to 203A. Color, outer perianth: When opening,             lateral segments, upper surface: Towards the base, close to             161D; towards the apex, Close to 45C; apex, close to 53A;             margins, close to 16D. When opening, median segment, upper             surface: Towards the base, close to 160C to 160D; towards             the apex, close to 45C; apex, close to 53A; margins, close             to 16C. When opening, lateral and median segments, lower             surface: Close to N34A; towards the apex, close to 53A to             almost 203A; margins, close to 16D. Fully opened, lateral             and median segments, upper surface: Close to between 45B and             53B; towards the apex, close to 53A to almost 203A; base,             close to 160D; margins, close to 29A. With development,             color becoming closer to 179D; distal blotch, close to 53D;             towards the apex, close to 53A to almost 203A; margins,             close to 37C. Fully opened, lateral and median segments,             lower surface: Close to 45B; towards the apex, close to             203A; base, close to 45C; margins, close to between 18B to             19B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 15° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             186C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 4.3 cm. Filament color: Close to 46A;             towards the base, close to 150D. Anther shape: Three are             oblong and the other three are reniform. Anther length,             oblong anthers: About 8 mm. Anther length, reniform anthers:             About 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 152B to 152C. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 153D. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.4 cm. Style             length: About 3.9 cm. Style color: Close to 50A; towards the             base, lighter than 50A. Stigma shape: Tri-parted; parts,             club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: Close to 48B to 48D.             Ovary color: Close to 143C tinged with between 197A and             N200B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and     rain. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been observed to tolerate     high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness     Zone 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesronto Imp’ as illustrated and described. 